Online MBA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

It's best to submit your application and all required documentation before the deadline. Please note that classes fill up quickly, so the sooner your application is complete, the better.

Please upload official copies of transcripts to the application. If you are offered admission, you will then be required to provide official transcripts prior to the second semester of enrollment.

Official transcripts should be mailed directly from the degree-granting institution via the U.S Postal Service to:

University of Kansas Graduate Admissions

1450 Jayhawk Blvd.

313 Strong Hall

Lawrence, KS 66045

Yes. Please have secure electronic transcript delivery service sent directly from the issuing university to graduateadm@ku.edu.

Copies of official transcripts can be scanned and submitted during the application process for initial review. Documents uploaded with your application are not considered official. KU does not consider transcripts that come from applicants or that have been in the applicant's possession as official. Official e-transcripts must be sent from the issuing institution and can be sent to graduateadm@ku.edu. If you’re unsure of how to upload the document, feel free to send it to your admissions advisor.

No. In this case, transcripts from the institution(s) that issued your degree(s) should be prioritized.

You must follow the same application checklist as U.S. degree holders in the school’s primary language, and it must be translated into English. You can view the admissions checklist for each program here. Graduate Admissions will complete a transcript evaluation for GPA and academic credential verification

Those who score an 8 or higher on the exam will be considered for admission by the KU School of Business. Students who score below an 8 will be considered on a case by case basis, depending on their work experience and academic background. If you have not yet taken the exam, send a copy of your confirmation page after scheduling to your Admissions Advisor via email.

When registering for the exam, select KU in the dropdown for where you would like to send your scores. Your unofficial scores will be presented immediately following the completion of the assessment and emailed to you. The school you selected will receive your official scores within seven business days.

Passage for questions 1-3 Is it possible to decrease inflation without causing a recession and its concomitant increase in unemployment? The orthodox answer is "no." Whether they support the "inertia" theory of inflation (that today's inflation rate is caused by yesterday's inflation, the state of the economic cycle, and external influences such as import prices) or the "rational expectations" theory (that inflation is caused by workers' and employers' expectations, coupled with a lack of credible monetary and fiscal policies), most economists agree that tight monetary and fiscal policies, which cause recessions, are necessary to decelerate inflation. They point out that in the 1980's, many European countries and the United States conquered high (by these countries' standards) inflation, but only by applying tight monetary and fiscal policies that sharply increased unemployment. Nevertheless, some governments' policymakers insist that direct controls on wages and prices, without tight monetary and fiscal policies, can succeed in decreasing inflation. Unfortunately, because this approach fails to deal with the underlying causes of inflation, wage and price controls eventually collapse, the hitherto-repressed inflation resurfaces, and in the meantime, though the policymakers succeed in avoiding a recession, a frozen structure of relative prices imposes distortions that do damage to the economy's prospects for long-term growth.

Question 1 The primary purpose of the passage is to
A. apply two conventional theories
B. examine a generally accepted position
C. support a controversial policy
D. explain the underlying causes of a phenomenon
E. propose an innovative solution
Correct answer: B

Question 2 The passage suggests that the high inflation in the United States and many European countries in the 1980's differed from inflation elsewhere in which of the following ways?
A. It fit the rational expectations theory of inflation but not the inertia theory of inflation.
B. It was possible to control without causing a recession.
C. It was easier to control in those countries by applying tight monetary and fiscal policies than it would have been elsewhere.
D. It was not caused by workers' and employers' expectations.
E. It would not necessarily be considered high elsewhere.
Correct answer: E

Question 3 Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the author's conclusion about the use of wage and price controls?
A. Countries that repeatedly use wage and price controls tend to have lower long-term economic growth rates than do other countries.
B. Countries that have extremely high inflation frequently place very stringent controls on wages and prices in an attempt to decrease the inflation.
C. Some countries have found that the use of wage and price controls succeeds in decreasing inflation but also causes a recession.
D. Policymakers who advocate the use of wage and price controls believe that these controls will deal with the underlying causes of inflation.
E. Policymakers who advocate the use of wage and price controls are usually more concerned about long-term economic goals than about short-term economic goals.
Correct answer: A

Under special circumstances, candidates may request an Essentials Skills Assessment waiver. Waiver requests will be reviewed for those candidates whose academic records and professional work experience demonstrate a high level of quantitative and analytical skill. Waiver requests must be in writing and include supporting evidence for the request, such as:

• J.D., M.D. or Ph.D. degree
• Significant professional leadership experience. At least four (4) years of experience in a professional, managerial role
• Evidence of quantitative and analytical reasoning

Please contact your Admissions Advisor for more information if you feel that you may qualify for the waiver.

No. Your admissions application will not be considered complete without test scores.

Yes. TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students, for more information you can consult the English proficiency requirements for graduate study at KU. If you have any further questions regarding test scores or testing options, please contact your Admissions Advisor.

No, we don't require TOEFL or IELTS scores if you received a baccalaureate degree (or higher) from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education, or from an institution whose medium of instruction is English. This does not apply to previous degrees earned online.

Your application must include a personal statement of between 600 and 1,000 words that addresses how this program is going to enhance your career and why you chose the University of Kansas.

Most admissions decisions will be posted within 7-10 days of receiving a completed application.

Three professional and/or academic letters of recommendation are required from individuals who are well-qualified to judge your character, scholarship and professional abilities. These individuals can be colleagues, immediate supervisors or former professors. If possible we recommend that at least one of the three letters come from an academic person.

The application deadline is firm, although exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis if absolutely necessary.

Not at this time.

The online MBA program structure allows students more flexibility to take breaks than many on-ground MBA programs, but not every course is offered every semester. This means that taking unplanned breaks can extend your timeline for completion of the program. All necessary breaks can be discussed with your Student Success Coordinator, or sometimes even directly with your instructors who may be able to accommodate your request.

Students may take a leave of absence for up to one year and still stay active in the program.

Non-native English speakers must demonstrate proof of English proficiency before gaining admission to a graduate program. More information can be found here

You can begin your online application by clicking here and following the instructions.

Please click “Forgot Password” to reset it.

If you are having issues with our online application system, please contact your Admissions Advisor.

If you cannot find your school, attempt a different search, taking into consideration the following:

• Searching within a city or state will return a list of all schools in that selection
• Searches of three or less characters will only return exact matches
• If you still cannot find your school after several attempts, click on "none of the above," and enter your school information manually into your application

If you attended a school outside the U.S. or Canada, please follow this link and enter your school name and other information directly into the application.

Ensure that that there are no special characters in the file name. Please adhere to the following suggestions when saving your files for upload:

• Save and upload your file as a Word doc or PDF. This is the best option for getting past the ASCII character options.
• Avoid using special characters ( ~, #, %, & , *, {, }, \, :, ?, /, |) in the file name.
• Use the icon beside the "Upload File" field to remove existing files. If you cannot remove a file that was uploaded in error, contact your Admissions Advisor for assistance.

If this does not resolve the issue, send the file directly to your Admissions Advisor.

Yes. You can manually save your application at any point during the online application process and return to it at a later time. You will need your username (email) and password to log back in and complete the application.

You can send a reminder to any recommender who has not responded to your request. Locate your application dashboard and click on “References”, then click on “Manage your recommendations.” From this screen you can see the list of your recommenders and choose an action for each. Select "Send Reminder" from the drop down menu next to the recommender you want to remind.

The online MBA program is considered part time and generally requires only 15-20 hours of work per week, including time spent with lectures, research and coursework.

Yes. The online MBA program has been designed specifically with the goals of working professionals in mind. Students can log in, view lectures and assignments, and submit required class work as their schedules allow.

You are required to complete two courses during each fall, spring and summer term, for a total of six (6) classes per year.

Students in the online MBA program can expect to collaborate and communicate with their cohort peers primarily through video conferencing, live chat, discussion boards and email messages related to course assignments. Similarly, faculty will communicate with students through these same channels, along with scheduled phone conversations which are available upon request.

The capstone experience parallels full-time, in-person programs in which the project focuses on merging personal experience with student reflection. The course is designed around strategic leadership and thinking, data-driven decision-making, leading and managing execution, and developing and managing performance-based metrics. Utilizing case studies, students can hone their practical leadership and management skills, gaining a competitive advantage in the workplace.